


Don't Join The Stars

by brazilliannut



Category: Benicio del Toro - Fandom, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: DJ - Freeform, Don't Join, Multi, Own Characters - Freeform, benicio del toro - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-29
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-23 13:29:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13191105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brazilliannut/pseuds/brazilliannut
Summary: Exploring The Last Jedi Slicer DJ in his previous years and leading up to the events of TLJ. Explore a different side to both sides and come to like the character DJ more.





	1. Coltean

**Author's Note:**

> hiya! i'm brazilliannut from tumblr here to finally publish my first fic... there aren't any reader inserts, however there are my own characters. i have decided not to include a romantic side to it (unless it helped with the plot). it just more so be about DJ and feel like we’re getting more content about him
> 
> also because im desperate for the comic

A boy barely the age of six sits alone in the deserted alleyways of the Galactic City on Coruscant. His tears creating streaks down his dirty cheeks and his grubby little hands pulling his hair out. The boy dreams of the great waterfalls on Theed of Naboo, the feeling of clouds caressing his ears on Cloud City of Bespin, but most importantly the calming seas of Chandrilla. A Anzat comes across the boy’s path and kicks a bottle of Ebla in his direction, the bottle shattering upon impact of the boy’s shoes, a spray of left over Ebla mixing in with the six-year old’s tears; his dreams coming to a halt.  
“Human scum,” it spits, it’s facial antenna twitching in every direction. The boy stands and wipes the tears from his face, staining his fingerless gloves. He throws himself at the grey alien and punches it with as much as fiery as he can, kicking and screaming, crying until the Anzat pushes him back to floor and kicks the boy.  
“Dirty, filthy, ugly cat, lingering around and trying to pick fights with those bigger than you. Stay in the shadows, it’s where you belong,” the Anzat says with a slight hiss and walks off, leaving the boy withering in pain.

The boy is now eleven, his pockets are filled with Galactic Credits and the Outlander Club at this time of night is filled to the top of easy targets. He splashes whatever water he has left in his cantina onto his face and hands, cleaning himself up before entering the hot spot of the lower levels in Coruscant. He is reminded of the time he was whisked away by a Clawdite by the name of Temrel Kym, they insisted on using the boy in trade for credits and weapons. Their time together came to a quick end as the boy broke free from his cell, stole five thousand worth of credits (a jackpot at the time for him) and hid in the Outlander Club. Tonight, the boy was hoping something similar would happen. He would be taken away and promised a new life, he would then see the down fall of his ‘new life’ and escape with hands cradling as much credits as he can. Of course, with such a grand plan, he had to have a grand disguise, although never knowing his birth name, the boy who now calls himself Jovjay Staraut bypassed the guard at the front with a fake identification card and paraded himself into Club, eyeing up potential victims. His go-tos were mainly older looking gentlemen whose outfits didn’t belong in a place such as this, however it wasn’t always men his eyes looked for, but for the pitiful eyes of women who seemed to have lost everything. At the bar sat Lasats and Rodians, neither species very friendly towards humans given history, yet not far from a darker shade of a purple Lasat, sat a gorgeous lady, earrings dazzling in the Club’s dancing lights, her almost white hair descending down her back. She was accompanied by a younger man, somebody Jovjay recognised. Coltean Revlon, a devious, credit stealer, suck up to the Republic ‘I’ll do it for you, but for a cost’ Slicer. Jovjay had admired the man for his skills from afar, but after a recent dealing gone wrong, the Slicer’s tricks and mechanisms were as old as Pod Racing. He moves himself in between intoxicated bodies, not a single part of him touching anybody, cunningly he moves in beside the lady and smoothly drops his hat in front of her. Playing it off as if it fell. 

The lady turns towards Jovjay and snorts through her straw like mouth, her four beady eyes looking down at his hat and back at him. The earrings he thought she, or them, was wearing was now just golden strands growing out of the side of their head and the white hair, was actually white fur, covering their whole body.  
“A Talz,” Jovjay whispers to himself, disappointed beyond belief of how he could not notice the difference between white hair and white fur.  
“Idi Nit, meet Don’t Join, or should I call you DJ?” Coltean clasps a hand around an unfamiliar glass, directing his squinting gaze at Jovjay.  
“I told you, don’t call me that. It’s Jovjay in here. Got that?” The name Jovjay Staraut had been dead for several years, a name he found through Old Republic intel.  
“Well your hat says ‘Don’t Join’, so it only seems fitting doesn’t it?” The older man barely the age of twenty-one cradles the glass just below his lips, sniffing slightly before drinking. Idi Nit sits silently, their hands fumbling for their drink.  
“They don’t speak Basic, I’ve already tried, so don’t go begging for credits for your starving sister again.” Jovjay furrows his brow, curious to how Coltean even got the creatures name.  
Without even asking, the man shows the Identification Card he swiped while the creature sucking at their drink.  
Coltean was an impressive man, his hair fiery red along the sides and jet black on top. His facial features spotless of any battle wounds however he sported a monumental burn scar that began at his left shoulder; and where Jovjay could assume, ending at his right hip. Jovjay could never imagine something so barbarous happening to himself, the closest scar that could come into comparison would be the two he had on his right cheek. Idi Nit had noticed the glances between Coltean and Jovjay and stood up abruptly, their drink spilling across the bar and staining their white fur. They hurried away as fast as they could, however not without the swift, greedy paws of both boys swiping something from Idi Nit’s jacket. Coltean dangled in front of Jovjay a necklace with a singular Amaralite gemstone, smirking proudly at his achievement. At the same time Jovjay revealed a handful of credits and another hand of Glow-Pearls, only really valuable in the Corporate Sector.  
“Nice steal, what are you going to buy with your credits this time?” Coltean grabbed Jovjay by the shoulder and smiled down at the boy, throwing a mask over his untrustworthy persona.  
“I might buy myself a knife or maybe some food. I already have a hefty amount of credits so I don’t really see how- “, to their right, the guard from the door stood with Idi Nit as they pointed in the boys’ direction, shaking their head vigorously as the guard stormed over, stun blaster resting in hand.  
“Talk about it another time?” Asked Coltean standing up quickly.  
“Absolutely,” replied Jovjay, running the opposite direction of Coltean.

Jovjay is eight, remembering from earlier in the day of him chasing Coruscant rats down a path, laughing as the abnormal creature ran as fast as its’ tiny legs could carry its’ overweight body. Jovjay didn’t go by this name at this age, finding the letter ‘j’ hard to get his mouth around. Most names people gave him were pest, rat, cat and “stupid kriffing kid”, which he found hard to believe were his actual name, so instead he called himself Liem Hosbur. A kid who begged for food in the Monument Plaza, never actually hungry, just never wanted to spend the credits he craftily stole from passer-by’s. He still dreamt of the Waterfalls of Naboo and the Clouds of Bespin as he slept under the polluted skies and heard the chatter between a homeless Malastarian and a rushed Togruta. His surroundings were too familiar, never actually knowing where he was from or who he really was, the Monument Plaza was the best place to call home.  
“I told you this already old man, if you don’t give me what I want, you won’t get it back. Is that clear?” Liem didn’t bother to open his eyes, knowing well that the corruption of the Republic had reached new levels of different planets.  
“How about the boy? If you were to take him as a slave and trade him off, it would get you plenty of Spice. I just can’t simply supply anything right now, he’s not back yet.” The Malastarian spoke softly, directing his eyes over towards where Liem laid, bundling himself up with his torn jacket as much as he could.  
“A slave will not get me what I want. As well, where would I find somebody who would be willing to have an actual child as a slave when the only thing they can do is steal and cry. I thought your species was known for having whiny offspring.” 

Liem brought his arms closer to himself, not particularly interested in the other conversation apart from the fact he could be whisked away at any point. He heard sturdy footsteps make his way over to him, shutting his eyelids hard and holding himself, hoping he wouldn’t be poke and prodded if he were to unwrap himself. With a gentle nudge, the Togruta attempted at waking the young boy, hoping he would just come with her and this whole thing would be over and done with so she could get her Spice. Liem turned on the spot, creaking his eyes open the tiniest bit so he could get a good look at who he has facing, a tall, red skinned lady in a brown cloak. Her eyes cried with pity, but her hands, calloused and cracked screamed with anguish and no self-respect. Liem rose to his feet after blinking away tears, bowing his head at the ground, his eyes locking with the hole in his shoe.  
“Are you looking for some of this?” A mysterious voice cried out, a slow click of the heals as another figure approached Liem. Nevertheless, Liem would not lift his head, as trying to process his future demise was all that he could handle at the moment.  
The Togruta had turned and faced the mysterious figure, her hand still reaching out towards the boy. Liem didn’t have much to give up to convince the lady that he wouldn’t be good in slavery. Of course, he had experienced it before, how in the Galaxy would he have ended up on this planet? Yet he did not wish to go through it again as he had lost something he believed his father gave to him as a baby the first time. The Togruta pulled Liem in close, a clenching hand grabbing the back of his jacket and the other hand on something that was attached to her belt.  
“Lower your weapon and I will let the boy go.” Something cold and metal lightly touched the back of Liem’s neck, chilling his body and making him lift his head sharply in the direction of the new comer. He looked at the mysterious male, discovering he too was Human but sharply dressed. ‘On what planet would a rich Barve want to save a dirty kid like me?’ thought Liem, panic overtaking his body. The older boy could not be any older than eighteen, his face clean shaven and his hair combed back.  
The older boy dangled what seemed to be a plastic bag filled a quarter with orange dust. Spice. Matching the spice was the older boy’s hair, bright and vibrant in the poorly lit Plaza.  
“The name is Coltean Gamrick kid, and I’ve got you,” Coltean says as he fires his blaster into the shoulder that held the cold metal to Liem’s neck. 

Liem runs, he runs as fast as he tired body could take him. Credits jingling vigorously in his pockets and his hat repeatedly falling off his head as he tries to run harder. Not far behind he hears the call of Coltean Gamrick, a sharp dressed man who just saved his life. He has no clue what the cold metal was or who the Togruta was, all he knows that this is not his home and he doesn’t know who he is anymore. All he does know, is that he wishes that some people don’t join him on finding his own star.


	2. Taris

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a quick warning!: there is a moment in the middle of this where there is a graphic scene of violence. some words in it may be triggering for some, so do please read with caution! thanks for coming by :)

Liem's hair is to some point, extensive. He's reached the climax of his career, or his life as he calls it, and believes that cutting his hair will keep him from doing his job correctly; that it will keep him from finding himself. He is twenty-something, he honestly stopped counting after he turned eighteen as most things became accessible legally to him at that age. He remembers that night fondly as he lays lonely inside a prison cell on some remote planet called Taris, outside his cell door he can see trees and vines bending and molding with the buildings that were purposely built around them. His cellmate from next door groans regularly, moving his body from one side to the other (from what Liem can hear, the guy is not exactly small), Liem bangs on the cool metallic wall that divides them. He's not trying to sleep, he's trying to find his piece of mind as he tries to recall how he ended up here in the first place. He remembers Coltean, smirking sluggishly as his body falls to the ground, absolute exhaustion taking over the thirty-four-year-old. Liem grimaces at the way Coltean's body had hit the ground, laser blaster falling out of his hand and tens of thousands of stolen credits spilling across the floor, they had only just arrived on Taris and Coltean had been wide awake the whole flight, his excuse was ' _I just hate flyin', nothing to worry about DJ'_. Now Liem hated it when he was called DJ, it always seemed to be used to in a degrading way, like as if Liem was still a child as well last time he checked he had several fine men and woman wrapped around his pinky-finger when it came to seducing and stealing. Yet he could not speak up for himself as last time he had earned himself a lecture about how Coltean was in charge of the mission and whatever he says goes, not that Liem had anything against that rule. He just wished he could be treated as an equal. Running his fingers through his hair Liem sat up, the dark circles under his eyes darker than usual and his stomach calling for food, subconsciously he ran his fingers over his right cheek, tracing the scars given to him. It had been years since the incident happened and if he was being honest with himself he could remember every single detail even though he wishes he couldn't.

He had been an unlucky ten-year-old, recently exposed to the awful side of the Republic once again. He was running away from a Zabrak, a several small horned species alluded to being close to the Senate and the Jedi Order yet the Jedi Order was destroyed before Liem had been born. This Zabrak especially had tracked Liem from one side of Coruscant to the other, determined to kill him after he had discovered private Republic intel. Obviously, Liem did not give up without a fight, fighting back with the blunt side of his stun gun, Liem knocked the Zabrak sideways, it's glowing laser sword coming back and slashing him lightly on his cheek. The sword had cauterized its cut and before Liem knew it he had been pinned down to the ground calling for Coltean's name.

 

What felt like days, weeks passed and Liem came to a final decision that Coltean had died. Not because of starvation or of thirst but from an execution. Coltean was friendly with the Empire although being out here in the Outer Rim would not protect him. Grief and guilt overcame Liem and he wept, his black tee collecting his sobbing mess and his hands catching his tears. The strongest emotion Liem had felt for anyone was always a reaction to Coltean, he loved him as a brother, of course, always concerned for Coltean after Liem grew out the middle years of his life. Liem stood and kicked the metal frame of his bed, face towards the ceiling and mouth agape he yelled, his next-door cell mate who he thought had died reacting and slamming a solid fist on the wall. He ran to the bars of his door, knuckles pale and face red and straining. He called for Coltean, begging, pleading wishing that the man with his not-so-fiery red hair came back.

"Hey, you! Quiet in there!" A human guard shouts. They come around the corner glaring directly at Liem as his arms are outstretched through the bars.

"Where is Coltean!?" Liem has no more tears, his eyes wide and searching the guard, his hair covering his face slightly and stubble carving his jaw-line.

"I don't know a Coltean you crazy Bantha fodder. Now stick your arms back in your cell or I will pull you out and beat you." The guard came closer, Liem opened his mouth to say something but nothing came out. The guard, however, began to unlock the door and stare down at Liem.

" _Now.. Stick your arms back in your cell_." Defying the guard, Liem tried to sidestep him and make a run for it, only getting as far as an arm's reach as his left arm was brutally twisted around and placed against his back.

"Please, just tell me where he is," Liem whispered, closing his eyes as he waited for the first strike.

The guard kicked him in behind his knees, making Liem collapse to the floor. The guard lifts his bat up behind his head and brings it down to Liem's shoulders, making this movement repeatedly till Liem fell face first to the ground. He then kicks at Liem's head, then at his ribs. There are no punches thrown, there is no screaming or pleading. Liem accepts and stays quiet, knowing him speaking out will cause more pain. The guard picks him up by the collar and throws him head first into the cell door, blood trickling out of Liem's head, nose, and lip. He tries to pick himself up, he wants to fight but he wants to flee, he knows fighting back would make Coltean proud but disappointed as they're Slicers, they don't want to be involved with whatever side has to go on. Nevertheless, if Liem were to run, he knows he could outrun the guard, he's quick and he's nimble but would he go and find Coltean or would he escape this planet?

The beating continues, the guard had picked up Liem continuously and kicked him in the stomach, the lower back and hit him across the head with the bat. His body was beaten into unconsciousness. His body swollen and bloody, Liem laid there on the cold floor, feeling like he was dying. His mind, however, still remaining intact somewhat, reminded himself to breathe. As hard as it was; Liem took a single deep breath in, his lungs clenching and making him sputter up blood. From outside came a yell and a loud metal _twang_ , Liem close to shutting his eyes and falling under prayed that it was the guard being beat for what he had done. Another _twang_ and somebody saying 'Karabast'. Liem's eyes shut and the pulse he thought was his body pounding began to slow. He wasn't lying in a pool of his own blood, he hadn't been shot, he hadn't been killed, he was still there, he was still alive.

"DJ!" Somebody cried, feet hitting the pavement in a fast beat, "DJ! Where are you! Say something!" Liem opened his mouth slightly, a breath of air escaping him.

"C-C-Coltean?" He whimpered, a sudden urge to sleep overwhelming him, "C-Coltean, I'm in here."

Praying that it was Coltean, Liem closed his eyes, the footsteps fast approaching and then halting as they came near him.

"It's okay kid, _I've got you_.."

 

The stutter came with the beating, normally children were born with it or developed it in the early years. Liem did have problems saying some letters of some words however now it seemed he began every sentence with a stutter. The man knew what he wanted to say and he wasn't afraid to voice his thoughts, but now he was afraid of his voice overall, so Liem became quiet. Coltean, of course, was the only one that could get a word out of him, but it was only a few words. Their mission on Taris had been a near failure, if it weren't for Coltean escaping, grabbing a bat and single handily beating five guards to get to Liem, they would be in great dept to the Hutts, or that's what Liem thought.

He rested in his cabin, three broken ribs, a shifted vertebrae, a concussion and of course damage to his brain. Most of the cuts and bruises had healed quickly given that they had escaped the Outer Rim planet two weeks ago. Coltean had no issues with bringing Liem's limp body onto their new found ship _The Escape_ , a Gunship, as Coltean was stronger of the two, but because Liem bled all over the seats and hit the medic droid in his drugged state, Liem now had to go by DJ. And he did exactly that. DJ moved so he could rest his back against the headboard of his bunk, breathing in sharp breaths. He buzzed for the medic droid, wanting for it to go grab Coltean.

"What can I do for you Master DJ," the droid asked as it immediately entered the room, skinny robotic fingers clasped together. Its presence was unnerving, tall. frail and navy blue with large eyes staring at it's patient.

"C-Coltean, please.." DJ said with a wispy smile, holding his hand against his chest.

"Absolutely sir, I will get him now." The droid left, leaving DJ in his staggered breathing silence.

Shortly afterward Coltean entered the room, grease and dirt covering his face slightly and a white rag wrapped around his fingers, his appearance was comforting for DJ. Coltean laughed at how sweaty and broken DJ was, his head tipping back a little in laughter and his hands holding his belly. DJ coughed a little, trying not to laugh as it hurt, but it didn't hurt to smile. Just a little bit. He threw the rag at DJ, coming in and crouching just in front of him.

"We're going to the planet, Hoth. It's going to start getting cold so.... I got you something." The medic droid enters holding a high collared, Nerf leather coat.

"When we were in Lothal there was a lil' shop selling all sorts of good stuff," mentioned Coltean before being stopped by DJ.

"Y-you mean when _y-you_ were in Lothal," said DJ, breathing heavily through his nose and closing his eyes briefly.

"Hey! You were there, just sleeping in the ship," a chuckle escaped Coltean's lips and a smile played on DJ's.

Both men exchanged hugs as the coat was placed in DJ's lap, the sleeves seemed to have parts that overlapped and inside the collar an odd design of silver lines. Although it felt thin between his fingers, DJ knew it would look good when on Hoth, on top of three other layers.

 

Looking at the mirror, a pale, somewhat bearded, skinny man looked back. DJ had lost a large amount of weight due to being held captive and not having an appetite while recovering. Looking down at the pruning scissors supplied by the droid, DJ reflected back on his previous methods and thoughts about why he grew out his hair. It was a nuisance, he could easily be grabbed from behind and when it came to seducing a target, a large majority didn't appreciate the long hair on a rugged male. He was a fan of it, he loved tying it up and being able to be an entirely different person. But now he needs to be someone different, he needs a new identity. If he were to fit in on Hoth, a Rebel seemed most fitting. He reached up and began to cut his hair, watching it as it fell onto his shoulders and then on to the floor. A massive weight had been lifted, trimming at the sides and back as far as they could go, and making it longer on top. An easily manageable hairstyle.

Slipping out of _The Escape_ proved harder than they thought it would be, Rebel fighters had searched the ship entirely, suspicious of any Empire activity after the success of bringing down the Empire five years ago. Their searches included taking away the medic droid, taking away DJ's beddings and Coltean's blaster that he accidentally left on board.

"You would think winning the war five years ago they would stop.." Whispered Coltean as they briskly walked to the entry of a hallway.

"Th-they have every right. We-we didn't fight f-f-for either side."

"Maybe we should of.." Coltean patted DJ lightly on the back, their journey only continuing as they traveled further into the Galaxy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much for reading! now im pretty slack when it comes to proof-reading so if there is any mistakes throughout this chapter don't be afraid to tell me! leave a comment if you want or come say hi to me at my twitter: dekupokken or my tumblr: brazilliannut . thanks for reading :)

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! leave me a comment(???) if there is anything I can fix as I am pretty bad at proofreading my own stuff, as well you can contact me on my twitter: https://twitter.com/dekupokken?lang=en and message me or follow me on my tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/brazilliannut hope to see you soon :D


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